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Schools Building Projects

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 March 2022

Tuesday, 22 March 2022

Questions (530)

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill

Question:

530. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education the programme of works that is in place to establish new schools; the project plans for each school; the way her Department monitors progress against these plans; if stakeholders are kept regularly updated of progress, delays and risks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14648/22]

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Written answers

Under Project Ireland 2040, the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. This investment will build on the good progress being made on adding capacity to cater for demographic changes and provision for children with special educational needs. This investment will also facilitate an increased focus on the modernisation of existing school stock and help transition the school system for an era of net zero carbon by 2050.

The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector are as follows:

- demographic change,

- alignment with housing provision and national planning at school planning area level,

- construction costs,     

- climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit. 

In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.

Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area.  This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes.

Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:

- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,

- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,

- Provision of a new school or schools.

In addition to ongoing demographic analyses, my Department continues to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of potential longer-term requirements for educational provision across the country, through the review of the County Development Plans, preparation of Local Area Plans and other relevant statutory planning processes.

During the period 2018 to 2021 691 school building projects were completed. These projects delivered in excess of 64,000 school places. Since 2018, 47 new schools have been announced.

My Department is aware of the challenges of Covid and the challenging market conditions currently underway and is working proactively to ensure that all school building contracts are awarded as expeditiously as possible, while working within the parameters set by the Office of Government Procurement and principles of public procurement set out at both national and EU level.

There is a large pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme. The main elements of this pipeline currently involve in excess of 1,200 school building projects for delivery under the Department’s Large Scale and Additional Accommodation Scheme. These projects are currently in progress across the various stages of planning, design, tender and construction. Most of which are expected to be either under construction or completed in the period up to 2025 and are being progressed as quickly as possible.

There are currently in excess of 250 school building projects at construction (on site) with a continuous stream of other projects at or near the tendering stage. It is anticipated that 150 to 200 school building projects will be completed annually during the 2022 to 2025 period.

The current status of these projects being delivered is listed on a county by county basis on www.gov.ie and is updated on a monthly basis to reflect their progress through the various stages.

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